Dental and Oral Health Center

Jaw pain and lump in throat

10/09/2007

Question:

Hi. I am really panicking at the moment. I am a 24-year-old female, never had health problems before. About a month ago my jaw started hurting on the top left side. It only hurts when I open my mouth wide, creating the feeling of pressure (not a sharp pain). It has been like this since then. Could it be coming from my wisdom teeth? I have not had any of them removed, and only part of one of them (bottom left) is visible, the rest are not. 4 days ago, I started feeling as if something is constantly stuck in my throat. It doesn`t hurt when I swallow, it`s just always there. Also, it does not create difficulties when eating. When I eat it even seems the "lump" is gone.

I am going home to Denmark in 2 weeks and wanted to ask for advice. Should I go to the ER here in the USA or should I wait until I fly back? I am really afraid of something serious happening to me and advice will be appreciated. Thanks a lot in advance!

Answer:

From your description, the jaw pain is most likely associated with wisdom teeth or muscle pain from clenching and/or grinding. The only way to insure a correct diagnosis would be to visit your dentist. It is most likely that radiographs would be necessary to confirm a diagnosis. Generally, conditions with a rapid onset of pain are treatable and not that serious.

As for the lump in your throat, it might be from swollen glands or possible infection in some area of the throat. It would be best to visit your physician to get an accurate diagnosis of that problem.

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